Kindergarten Readiness & Expectations:

Getting Your Child Ready for School

What is READINESS
EXPECTATIONS
What BEHAVIORS are expected of my child?
What PHYSICAL SKILLS are expected of my child?
What PRE-READING SKILLS are expected of my child?
What LANGUAGE SKILLS are expected of my child?
What MATH SKILLS are expected of my child?
WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP MY CHILD?
Talk to your child all the time.
Listen to your child.
READ to your child every day
Take part in your child's education

Kindergarten Readiness & Expectations:

Getting Your Child Ready for School

Dear Parents,

Soon your child will be entering kindergarten in Norwalk. Children are always more successful when they have their parents' interest and support so let your child know that you believe school is important.

Many parents have asked, “What makes a child ready for kindergarten?” and “What are the expectations of the Norwalk Public Schools for students entering kindergarten?”

The goal of this booklet is to provide parents with answers to these questions. You will find suggestions and ideas to help prepare your child for success in kindergarten as well as the Connecticut State Department of Education's expectations.
We welcome you as partners in the education of your child.

Dr. Sal Corda
Superintendent of Schools

READINESS

In Connecticut, all children who are age five before January 1st are eligible to enter kindergarten the September of the year they turn five.

Readiness for kindergarten depends on your child's individual social, personal, cognitive, and physical development. Children learn best when they are well rested, well fed and in good health. Parents and families can best support their child's readiness for school by providing a nurturing and loving environment, enriching experiences, and time to practice social skills with other young children.

The Norwalk Public Schools' Kindergarten program is based on the belief that young children learn best by being involved in the learning process. A kindergarten program that instills learning through individual discovery will engage both teacher and student while nurturing a love for learning in the kindergarten child.

The following are characteristics that help a child to be successful in Kindergarten. Children of the same age are at different stages of development and learn at different rates. Therefore your child may or may not possess all of the following characteristics and behaviors.


If you have any questions about your child's readiness for Kindergarten, you may contact: any Elementary School or the Norwalk Public Schools Early Childhood Specialist at 854-4147.

EXPECTATIONS

What BEHAVIORS are expected of my child?
o Can pay attention for short periods to adult directed activities (sitting and listening to a story etc.)
o Cooperates with daily routines and adult requests
o Uses the bathroom independently
o Separates from parent(adults) with ease
o Sees adults as helpers
o Recognizes adult and respects authority
o Follows classroom and playground rules
o Understands that actions have consequences
o Able to maintain self-control
o Expresses feelings with words
o Shares with others, takes turns
o Able to work independently and cooperatively in a small group
o Tolerates frustration ,can accept change
• Stays involved in a directed activity to its completion
• Follows routines and directions
• Works and plays together with other children
• Understands and participates in conversations
o Norwalk Kindergarten Expectations
• Recommended Readiness Skills from the Connecticut Department of Education.


What PHYSICAL SKILLS are expected of my child?
o Walks and runs with control
o Able to hop, jump, march and climb stairs
o Completes simple puzzles
o Throws and catches a ball
o Walks a straight line
o Ability to cut with scissors
o Ability to paste
o Draws simple pictures
o Recognizes name in print
o Able to put on and take off outer clothing

• Able to hold a pencil and write with it
• Copy and print his or her first name

o Norwalk Kindergarten Expectations
• Recommended Readiness Skills from the Connecticut Department of Education.


What PRE-READING SKILLS are expected of my child?
o Listens to stories with interest
o Looks at pictures and tells a short story
o Makes up and share stories about self and family
o Recognizes colors and some color words
o Selects familiar books and tells why he or she likes

• Retells favorite stories from books.
• Holds a book upright
• Identifies letters of the alphabet
• Recognizes letter sounds
• Says and notices words that rhyme in stories

o Norwalk Kindergarten Expectations
• Recommended Readiness Skills from the Connecticut Department of Education.


What LANGUAGE SKILLS are expected of my child?
o Uses words to express feelings and speaks understandably
o Uses multiple word sentences
o Identifies some body parts
o Refers to himself or her self by first and last name
o Answers when asked name and age

• Uses and understands many words
• Speaks in complete sentences
• Asks lots of questions

o Norwalk Kindergarten Expectations
• Recommended Readiness Skills from the Connecticut Department of Education.


What MATH SKILLS are expected of my child?
o Beginning to understand one to one correspondence while counting (counting beads while stringing them, counting cups etc.)
o Beginning to recognize simple patterns and duplicate or extend them

• Recognize and count up to ten items
• Recognize the number symbols 1 - 10
• Describe and talk about objects that have different sizes, colors shapes and patterns
• Sort items by “same” and “different”
• Sort items from smallest to largest, shortest to tallest and lightest to heaviest

o Norwalk Kindergarten Expectations
• Recommended Readiness Skills from the Connecticut Department of Education.


WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP MY CHILD?

Talk to your child all the time.

Take advantage of time when you and your child are together to talk, talk, talk.
o When you're in the car, waiting in line at the super market, making dinner, cleaning, or going on a family outing, let your child hear you talk about what you're planning, seeing, doing, or thinking.
o Use new words often and explain their meaning to your child.
o Ask questions and engage you child in conversation. You will be developing your child's language and building his vocabulary.
o Point all the words you see while driving, walking, or taking the bus.
o Sing with your child. Songs are fun to listen and dance to. Nursery rhymes are great for helping your child to learn about rhyming words.
o Tell stories to your child - children enjoy stories about their families especially ones about when you were little. Retell a story you have read.


Listen to your child.

Pay attention to what your child says.
o Listen to his or her questions and spend time together to find out the answer.
o Encourage him or her to talk and use new words he or she has learned.
Listen, listen, listen. Your child will feel valued and important.


READ to your child every day

Read to him or her for at least 20 minutes every day. This is one of the most important things you can do for your child. Reading together is a pleasurable experience and gives you the opportunity to show your child how a book is held, how pages are turned.
o Visit the Library with your child and pick out books together. Let your child see you read.
o Read stories your child likes over and over. Use different voices.
o Ask questions “What do you think will happen next?” What part did you like best? Have your child “read” to you by talking about the pictures.
o Read print in the environment. Road signs, store names and restaurant names when you are in the car.
o Read cereal boxes, soup cans, and milk cartons when you are in the supermarket.
o Name colors that you see.
o Read, read, read.

Remember to speak and answer questions your child asks in complete sentences.


Take part in your child's education

Research shows that children whose parents participate in their education are more likely to be successful in school. Be sure to talk with your child's teacher, ask questions, and attend conferences. Visit the school often. Join the PTO. Your child will have a happier educational experience with your help and support.


Norwalk Public Schools: Elementary Schools

If you have any questions about your child's readiness for Kindergarten, you may contact: any Elementary School or the Norwalk Public Schools Early Childhood Specialist, at 854-4147.

School Address Phone
Brookside 382 Highland Avenue 899-2830
Columbus 46 Concord Street 899-2840
Cranbury 10 Knowalot Lane 846-3600
Fox Run 228 Fillow Stree 899-2860
Jefferson 75 Van Buren Avenue 899-2870
Kendall 57 Fillow Street 899-2880
Marvin 15 Calf Pasture Beach Road 899-2890
Naramake 16 King Street 899-2900
Rowayton 1 Roton Avenue 899-2940
Silvermine 157 Perry Avenue 899-2950
Tracey 20 Camp Street 899-2960
Wolfpit Starlight Drive 899-2980


Acknowledgements

We wish to acknowledge the following for their efforts in preparing this booklet:

o Norwalk Public Schools Kindergarten Teachers
o Norwalk Transition Steering Committee
o Norwalk Transition Task Force
o Norwalk Public Schools Transition Coordinator
o Norwalk School Readiness Council
o Parent Representatives

Photographs:
Briggs High School Students

This publication has been sponsored as part of Kids Start Smart: The Norwalk Discovery Initiative

with the financial support of:
the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund


1st Edition: May 2004
2nd Edition: February 2006